Double-bass guitar.



A. SHUTT.

DOUBLE BASS GUITAR. APPLICATION FILED 151113.29, 1912.

Patented Mar. 9, 1915.

THE NORRIS PETERS 60 PHDTC-LITHQ. WASHINC 'DN, D. CA

ALBERT SHUTT, OF TOPEKA, KANSAS.

DOUBLE-BASS GUITAR.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 9, 1915.

Application filed March 29, 1912. Serial No. 687,130.

T0 all whom t may concern Be it known that I, ALBERT SHUTT, a citizen of the United States, residing at Topeka, in the county of Shawnee and State of Kansas, have invented new and useful Improvements in Double-Bass Guitars, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to musical instruments, and has for an object to provide a double bass guitar.

The invention embodies, among other features, an instrument provided with a plurality of finger boards arranged in spaced relation to permit of inserting the fingers between the same, the usual guitar strings being mounted to extend over one of the finger boards and bass and sub-bass strings being mounted to extend over the other finger boards, thus enabling the operator to play the guitar in the usual manner or use the instrument as a violoncello or double bass cello.

In the further disclosure of the invention reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification in which similar characters of reference denote corresponding parts in all the views, and in which:

Figure 1 is a front elevation of the instrument; Fig. 2 is a rear elevation; Fig. 8 is a fragmentary sectional View taken on the line 3--8 in Fig. 1; Fig. 4 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on the line 1 -1 in Fig. 1; and Fig. 5 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on the line 5 5 in Fig. l.

Referring more particularly to the views, use is made of a body 10, the said body being shaped similarly to the body of an ordinary violoncello, the upper end of the body terminating on one side in a scroll 11 and on the other side in a scroll 12, the scroll 12 being larger than the scroll 11. A tail-piece 13 is mounted upon the body 10 at the lower end thereof and the lower ends of the strings 14 .are suitably secured to the tail-piece, the strings being passed over a bridge 15 and having their upper ends connected to keys 16 mounted on a head 17 having formed therewith and extending downwardly there- .from a finger board 18, the finger board being secured to a block 19 rigidly glued or otherwise secured to the upper end of the body 10, so that the lower extremity of the finger board 18 will project over the face of a sounding board 20, constituting a part of the body 10, as shown in Fig. 5. The lower end of a second finger board 2l, extended from the head 17, overlaps the sounding board 2O with the overlapping portion thereof spaced from the sounding board as shown in Fig. 4. It will therefore be apparent that the second finger board has no connection with the sounding board but is normally spaced therefrom, although the second finger board has connection with the head as mentioned and to which the finger board 18 is also connected so that the head constitutes a common support for the outer ends of both finger boards 18 and 21. A third finger board 22 extends from the head 17 and has the lower end thereof rigidly connected to the larger scroll 12, the finger boards 18, 21 and 22 being arranged in relative spaced relation, a sufficient space being provided between adjacent iinger boards to permit of inserting the hand between the linger boards so that the fingers can touch and press upon the strings which extend over the finger boards and are connected to the keys 16. A suitable brace 23 is secured to the rear side of the head 17 and is connected with the upper end of the body 10 to aid in retaining the head 17 in rigid position relatively to the body, the mentioned brace preferably coinprising a plurality of rods 24, the upper end of one rod being secured to the head as mentioned and the lower end of the other rod being secured to the body 10, the free ends of the rods being threaded to receive a turn buckle 25, said turn buckle being adjustable on the rods to increase or decrease the tension thereof. By referring to Fig. 1 it will be seen that the second nger board 21 is provided with frets 26. It will be understood, however, that the finger board can 'oe used without the mentioned frets.

The strings 14 are arranged in groups a, 6 and c, the group a constituting the subbass strings, and which are arranged to pass over the third nger board 22. The b group of strings constitute the bass strings and pass over the center finger board 21, while the c group of strings are the usual guitar strings and pass over the first finger board 18. The group of strings designated by the letter a are preferably six in number, the group of strings designated by the letter b are preferably four in number and the group of strings designated by the letter c are the usual guitar strings, as mentioned,

and are preferably six in number, thus providing a sixteen string instrument. Vith the use of the group of strings designated by the letter the instrument can be played in the manner of an ordinary guitar, and a bass part can be played similar to a violoncello, or double bass Violin by employing the strings in the group Z9, the group a constituting sub-bass strings.

ln the use of the instrument described, it is possible when playing a piece of music to change from one group of strings to the other or to alternate in order to produce 'an accompaniment and it Will'be readily understood that by tuning the Various strings to different keys various combinations of tones and chords can be produced and which, to the ear, will sound as if two instruments l were being played instead of one.

Having thus described my invention, l claim: Y l. ln a musical instrument, the combination with an instrument body, having strings passing longitudinally over the same, of a plurality of relatively spaced finger boards having connection with the body and projecting therefrom, with .the said strings passing longitudinally over the said finger boards, a head common to both finger boards at their outer ends, With the said strings connected to the head, a scroll formed with the body at one end thereof, and a third member spaced from the other members and having connection With the said scroll and the said head.

2. In a. musical instrument, the combination with an instrument body, of a plurality of relatively spaced members forming finger boards and projecting from one end of the body, said members being substantially parallel, a head common to the said members at the outer ends thereof, a set of strings passing longitudinally over the said body and connecting with the said head, said set of strings passing longitudinally over one of the said members, a second set of strings passing longitudinally over the said body and connected to the said head, With the said second set of strings passing longitudinally over the other member, a third set of strings passing longitudinally over the said body and connecting with the said head, said third set of strings being spaced from the said first and second sets of strings and from the said members, and a third member having connection with the said body and the said head and lying behind the third set of strings, With the said third member spaced from and parallel to the said first and second mentioned members.

ln testimony whereof l affix my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

ALBERT SHUTT.

Witnesses:

M. ELLRIE, O. S. TRUE.

VCopies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. C. 

